Anyone else attracted to terrible cars?
Discussion
I just watched JayEmm's video on a 24 year old Peugeot 406 and immediately found myself on Autotrader, looking to see what 406's were available...
It's not just old Pug's either, I have a hankering for a slightly ropey Volvo 240, a scruffy P2 V70 and an old TD5 Discovery. I daily drive an old Rover estate worth the square root of bugger all, but it's part of the family and couldn't bear part with it (and I have tried).
It's not a finanical position that drives my interest in older cars; aside from modern hypercars we could afford to have any modern car on the driveway, from a little A1 all the way up to a Bentayga. But I look at the Autotrader "suggestions" of some newish SUV/crossover with a "desirable" badge and find myself instead looking at old Volvo's or seeing whether I could get another 75.
Please tell me I'm not alone in an odd hankering for old, scruffy cars in 2023.
It's not just old Pug's either, I have a hankering for a slightly ropey Volvo 240, a scruffy P2 V70 and an old TD5 Discovery. I daily drive an old Rover estate worth the square root of bugger all, but it's part of the family and couldn't bear part with it (and I have tried).
It's not a finanical position that drives my interest in older cars; aside from modern hypercars we could afford to have any modern car on the driveway, from a little A1 all the way up to a Bentayga. But I look at the Autotrader "suggestions" of some newish SUV/crossover with a "desirable" badge and find myself instead looking at old Volvo's or seeing whether I could get another 75.
Please tell me I'm not alone in an odd hankering for old, scruffy cars in 2023.
Don't hanker after old scruffy cars but I do run sheds, like you not out of financial necessity just out of a 40 year old habit, could buy pretty much any car I want but new cars do nothing for me.
Current old E Class shed cost someone 36 grand new, cost me next to nothing, lunar mileage, still drives beautifully. When it expires it will be replaced by something equally cheap and disposable and no f@cks will be given, very liberating.
I do like to keep them clean and mechanically tip top though.
Current old E Class shed cost someone 36 grand new, cost me next to nothing, lunar mileage, still drives beautifully. When it expires it will be replaced by something equally cheap and disposable and no f@cks will be given, very liberating.
I do like to keep them clean and mechanically tip top though.
...er... yes!
I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
williamp said:
...er... yes!
I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
You could get a bumper off a car being scrapped and, if lucky it's the right colour, if not get it resprayed?I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
Not sure about terrible cars. Was the 406 ever a terrible car? I think not. I not-quite-daily drive a 30+ year-old BMW 7 series. It's solid, comfortable and immune to parking dings thanks to the rubbing strips on the doors. Yes, I have more modern cars as well, but I find myself drawn to the 7. Oh and I had a Volvo 340DL as a garage loaner once and didn't want to give it back. It was hilarious and brilliant despite having little power. But I hanker after 80s and 90s cars more than any other as long as they're not too dilapidated. Modern cars just aren't the same.
My partner has this absolute burning desire for an old 1990's Renault Twingo. She drives a very nice Jaguar XF, and my car is an equally pleasant Jaguar XK. She still tells me wistfully of times she misses with her old Rover 25, and that she simply MUST have a MK1 Twingo at some point. I see the charm of it, but I can't quite get as enthusiastic at them as she does (the point and squeal as we drove through France this summer for Le Mans was coming only from her). So no, you're definitely not alone.
I like playing the bangernomics game which meant that I've ended up in cars that I would have thought were terrible.
The Golf Cabriolet Mk2. Ok, it's not a great car but when the sun is out it's very pleasant to be in. Not too impractical either. Driving's fine, just try to maintain momentum on country roads.
Volvo S60 2.4T. Quite quick for normal roads (200bhp). Very comfy for long distance travel (the seats have sofa-levels of comfort and are the only seats I've never needed to stretch after getting out of). Quite quick accelerating off the line considering.
Audi TT 1.8 180bhp 2WD. This is the basic spec (Ok, there is a 150bhp!) but feels quite quick again for normal roads. Also pretty good fun down country roads as it feels like you're driving a sports car. Turns in nicely, you're sitting low, body roll isn't bad.
The Golf Cabriolet Mk2. Ok, it's not a great car but when the sun is out it's very pleasant to be in. Not too impractical either. Driving's fine, just try to maintain momentum on country roads.
Volvo S60 2.4T. Quite quick for normal roads (200bhp). Very comfy for long distance travel (the seats have sofa-levels of comfort and are the only seats I've never needed to stretch after getting out of). Quite quick accelerating off the line considering.
Audi TT 1.8 180bhp 2WD. This is the basic spec (Ok, there is a 150bhp!) but feels quite quick again for normal roads. Also pretty good fun down country roads as it feels like you're driving a sports car. Turns in nicely, you're sitting low, body roll isn't bad.
You're not alone. Similar financial position and similar attitude here. Current steed is a 2012 L322, the garage queen is the venerable XJ12, but that counts as a classic now so I'm allowed that. My favourite daily was a 2004 Volvo XC70 I had from 2013 till 2018 and took from 70k miles to 220k miles. I found myself looking up Mazda 323Fs on AutoTrader and Car & Classic after the Cardle puzzle the other day. Mrs QQ has made me promise that I will eventually replace L322 with something new. She doesn't know that I meant new to me... 
williamp said:
...er... yes!
I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
I only used the word terrible as I couldn't think of the correct word.. been up for almost 18 hours! I really enjoyed my 406 coupe I owned 20 odd years ago. Very rare now, but there are some v6 manuals out there. Remarkable good value in my opinion..
.. but aparently the bumpers are unobtainabls now, which can be the death of older, "terrible" ( your words) cars. Electronics can be replaced. But who will make pattern bumpers??
They're not terrible cars, just, cars that most or at least many folk would turn their nose up at, purely because they're old.
Working with a chap today, he couldn't believe my old 75 was still going after 20 years. He thought he car was "old" at five years old.
Unobtainable parts usually require the assistance of owners groups and such like. I've been amazed at what I've found in the past when asking owners groups directly; likewise it's amazing what people have sitting in their sheds!
..so what you're saying is.. I should buy a 406 coupe??? Hmmmm..
Dont worry about the word terrible. We know what you mean. On here, there is enough love for all cars of whatever flavour. If someone has spent time, money and love on a car, most of us can appreciate it. Its my definition of a classic, afterall
Dont worry about the word terrible. We know what you mean. On here, there is enough love for all cars of whatever flavour. If someone has spent time, money and love on a car, most of us can appreciate it. Its my definition of a classic, afterall
The 406 petrol coupe was a fine car in its day & gorgeous to boot, which could never be said of its succesor.
This talk of of Frances drop in quality does remind me of the fateful business meeting that changed it all though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQugEZOrZSc
This talk of of Frances drop in quality does remind me of the fateful business meeting that changed it all though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQugEZOrZSc
I currently smoke around in a 20 year old S80
It owes me nothing but is supremely comfortable.
Am taking it to Belgium tomorrow.
I could buy a £50000 electric car and save the world.
I think I’m doing it wrong according to the press
I’ll carry on in my old car
It owes me nothing but is supremely comfortable.
Am taking it to Belgium tomorrow.
I could buy a £50000 electric car and save the world.
I think I’m doing it wrong according to the press
I’ll carry on in my old car
Edited by C70Rev on Thursday 23 November 23:24
C70Rev said:
I currently smoke around in a 20 year old S80
It owes me nothing but is supremely comfortable.
Am taking it to Belgium tomorrow.
I could buy a £50000 electric car and save the world.
I think I’m doing it wrong according to the press
Not sure I would use the term ‘ terrible’ even with a sarcastic overtone. Many cars over 10 years old are fit for purpose. If you bought electric, apart from a Tesla, you would not feel confident having to do a long run at short notice in winter eg family emergency at the other end of the country. Yes if we were all well heeled we may have a Leaf, or similar, as a runabout, but no more than that. That scenario would result in households having probably three cars available.j
I’ll carry on in my old car
It owes me nothing but is supremely comfortable.
Am taking it to Belgium tomorrow.
I could buy a £50000 electric car and save the world.
I think I’m doing it wrong according to the press
Not sure I would use the term ‘ terrible’ even with a sarcastic overtone. Many cars over 10 years old are fit for purpose. If you bought electric, apart from a Tesla, you would not feel confident having to do a long run at short notice in winter eg family emergency at the other end of the country. Yes if we were all well heeled we may have a Leaf, or similar, as a runabout, but no more than that. That scenario would result in households having probably three cars available.j
I’ll carry on in my old car
Edited by C70Rev on Thursday 23 November 23:24
I must admit that I spend far too long searching on Autotrader and Facebook Marketplace for older cars, not necessarily something that I need but just occasionally something will pop up and I think I must have it / I've forgotten about that model.
It drives my wife mad when all of a sudden I arrive back home with a new (to me) car.
I can't get my head around spending £500 or so a month on a car that I'll never own, let alone the initial deposit that everyone forgets about. I would much rather have something for up to a couple of grand that I can leave where I want to and not worry if someone dings it etc, although saying that when in a car park people tend to leave you more space as they seem to think you'll hit their car...
It drives my wife mad when all of a sudden I arrive back home with a new (to me) car.
I can't get my head around spending £500 or so a month on a car that I'll never own, let alone the initial deposit that everyone forgets about. I would much rather have something for up to a couple of grand that I can leave where I want to and not worry if someone dings it etc, although saying that when in a car park people tend to leave you more space as they seem to think you'll hit their car...
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